Swimming attachment for bathing suits



M. GREEN SWIMMING ATTACHMENT FOR BATHING SUITS Filed March 5, 1924 June17 1924.

Patented June 17, 1924.

UNITED ff STATES l 1,498,092 PATENT OFFICE.

MAX GREEN. 0F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

SWIMMTNGATTAGHMENTFQR :BATHING sur'rs.v

j merely supporting the body. In this way,

my inventionis especially suited for helping those just beginning toylearn how to swim, merely rendering their body buoyant, but not tendingto support them in a position inconsistentr with swimming o-r floating.`The common swimming belt, on the other hand, is not suitable, becauseit tends to hold the person in an upright instead of an inclined orhorizontal position.

I attain my object by means of inflated tubes and sewing these bysuitable means to and lengthwise of the body of the swimming suit, andpreferably also alongthe leg portions of the swimming suit, since Ibelieve that by so doing the supporting of the body in swimming positionis facilitated.

Furthermore, I preferably encase the tube in a fabric jacket, so as toinsure uniform inflation.

The details of construction of my invention I have hereinafter fullydescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In these drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevation of a bathing suit to which my swimmingattachment is secured by those means which are preferred by me; l

Fig. 2shows a front View of another bathing suit to which my inflatedtubes are secured by other means; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail of construction.

Referring first to Fig. l .a represents the j body, and b the legportion of the trunk of a bathing suit. The body and the trunk are yprovided along the sides with loops 0 inte gral with the fabric orfastened thereto as may be deemed convenient by the manufacturer. Theuppermost loop 0 and the lowermost loops c2 are closed at the ends as atc3 and 0*, thus converting said loops c and c2 into pockets, the mouthsof which oppose each other.; These loops, as mentioned andApprliatjion'fnea March 3, 1924. seriai No. 696,588.

shown, appeary on vboth sides of the bathing i `suit and the trunk. Ateach side ofthe bathingsuit there is inserted in said loop, loops c, @fand 0 2, an inflated tube d covered by a fabr1c casing ai' providedwithan infl'atng nipple e controlled by a suitable valve permittingthe'inflation ofthe tube, and automatically closing against reversedpressure.

The details of this valve `are not deemed necessary to describe sinceseveral valves of that v character areon the market, foreXample,

such as are used on water wings and toy balloons.

As mentioned, the pocket construction Aof the end loops 0 and 02, inwhich the ends of the inflated tube d are inserted, hold thelat teragainst endwise movement. s

By arranging the tube as shown along the `sides of the bathing suit, thebuoyant element thereby introduced is adapted to support the person inthe water truly horizontal in position for swimming. If it is notthought necessary to carry the inflated tube down to the trunks, it maybe carried only to the bottom of the skirt, but I deem it preferable tohave the buoyant element extend down to and part way along the leg ofthe trunk, also.

The inflated tubes al are preferably encased in a fabric jacket so as toinsure uniform inlation and to distribute the strains into the atter.

In Fig. 2 I have shown the inflated tubes as removable from the bathingsuit, the latter consisting of the body portion a and leg portions` bofthe trunk as usual. f repreh, controlled by a suitable valve of thecharj acter mentioned.

The jackets or cases g of the inflated tubes f are connected by a seriesof straps i extending crosswise at the back and front of the bathingsuit. The strap at the back of the bathing suitmay be in one piece andthe straps at the front of the bathing suit may be made of two pieces'connected by buttons y'. l

The inflated tubes f are preferably extended down tothe leg portions ofthe trunk and fastened to the latter by means of a. strap i which at thefront is fastened together by a button j. f

I preferably pass the straps t through loops @heated at eah side ofthebpdy por tion of the bathing suit so as to `prevent the tubes frombecoming displaced.

The details of removably fastening the inlated tubes e to the sides ofthe bathing vsuit however, may be varied to suit the llirlut'acturer,the illustrations and descriptions given by me being merely to indicateone way in which it may be done.

l. lA swimming attachment for bathing suits comprising iniiatable tubes,one for veach sideof the suit, the suit being provided vided at eachsid@ 0f the body ,with a Series of loops ka'lined "lengthwise with-thebody through which said tubes are inserted, the l uppermost and thelowermost of the loops "being Closed at one end to provide opposedpockets for holding the tubes against end- 'wise displacement.

4t. A .swimming attachment for bathing suits comprising inflatabletubes, one for each side of the suit, the suit beingprovided lateachside of the body and the `trunk with a series .of loops alinedlengthwise yvithftjhe body throughwhich said tubes are inserted.

A5. A swimming attachment for bathing suits comprising inflatable tubes,,one for each side of the .Suit and means for datashably securing saidtubes to, and length-wise of, the sides of the bathing suit and lalsoalong the legs `of the trunk.

6. A swimming attachment for bathing i suits comprising, inflatabletubes, one for each side of the suit, and means :for detachf -ablysecuring said tubes to, and lengthwise of, the Side of the bathing ,Suitand also along the legs of the trunk;

MAX .GREEN-

